Airbag complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Travel us hwy when encountering rain condition vehicle had rear wheel loss of control into hydroplane, when attempting to correct steering into skid the steering failed to respond as if no power steering. The vehicle cruise control was on until point of first applying brake. The vehicle impacted ravine at frontal impactof grill atb high speed then flip side over side without one air bag deploying. Driver,passenger side, passenger/driver-side of seat, or pillar post air bags failed. The yellow airbag indicator light was always on and believed to be normal. After pressing on-star , emergency connection failed to which on-star claims antenna must of been damaged, though photos show intact. On star complaint about failure of system been on going since purchase. …
Vehicle was traveling on highway dry pavement when rain condition came on suddenly. The vehicle begin to loose control and steering was sloppy when turning into skid. The vehicle then slid sideways hitting a ditch head on, at which time front air bags for passenger and driver failed to deploy at high impact, the vehicle then rolled three times with crush zones on the side and side impact or curtain bags failed to deploy. The roof, the side(s), and front were all crush impacted and with out deployment of safety measures. Lastly the on-star service failed to notify of crash for emergency dispatch and service was active. The antenna does not appear to of been crushed, and system should of alerted after frontal impact and failed. …
The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Outlook. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the airbag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the MDS was not communicating with the airbags. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
airbag sensor on passenger seat stays off even when passenger is in seat. I have read many complaints from same vehicle since they were new. Also has electrical issues intermittently possibly from water leaking thru sunroof
The contact owns a 2007 Saturn Outlook. The contact stated that the air bag, the traction control, and the electronic stability control warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that after opening the liftgate with the power liftgate button, the liftgate unexpectedly lowered, and struck her on the head. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. The contact had head pain, but medical assistance was not required. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failures to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 07V062000 (Air Bags) and 15V415000 (Structure); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 163,000.
I was driving my 2007 Saturn Outlook when the power steering went out and I went off the road hitting a culvert head on. The frontal air bags failed to deploy. The driver seat on impact broke off of the frame of the vehicle. The only thing that saved my life was my seatbelt. The vehicle was towed to a dealership and after they hooked it up to their diagnostics, they found that there was a mistake in the sensor codes. The code showed that the vehicle rolled over. The vehicle never did roll over whatsoever. Also the power steering pump was defective and later a recall came out informing owners of this. After research I found that previously there was a recall for a defective air bag module. This had been replaced. However the airbag still did not deploy during the front impact collision.
Related recalls (2)
Air bags › Side/window
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses may result in the SIAB and…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
On certain vehicles, the sensing and diagnostic module (sdm), which controls the function of front air bags, May not operate properly. As a result, the front air bags May fail to deploy in a frontal crash. Also, the air bag warning lamp on the instrument panel May fail to provide warning that the system is inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the sdm computer module. This recall began on February 22, 2007. Owners May contact GMC at 1-866-966-9463 or Saturn at 1-800-972-8876.
Frequently asked questions
Which Saturn Outlook years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (97), 2007 (88) and 2009 (7) model years. Airbag complaints make up 15% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for Saturn Outlook airbag problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 14V-118 (side/window, Mar 17, 2014); 07V-062 (sensor/control module-inactive, Feb 21, 2007). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Saturn Outlook airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 83,000 miles; 23% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (11 mentions), followed by the frontal › sensor/control module (3).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.